Why skeptics should embrace Valve’s new Steam controller

A week has passed since Valve announced its Steam controller, which resembles a speaker more than a gamepad and has left many skeptical of its quality. Technology has changed over the years, and the merging of touch and button controls makes a lot of sense today.

Except that, we already have impressions with developers and every single one of that has had a positive thing to say about the controller. So, while the opposing argument can be relevant, it is, as of now not in the winning position.

I don't get how people can say good things about something on this site over and over and over again BUT when people say negative things it's a big no no

Your just coming of as someone who loves Valve or loves what they are doing, trying to defend it and getting p***** off every time you see a bad comment directed at the product. I don't see people who hate it telling people like you off so why is it the other way round.

i'll be willing to give it a go no doubt but i'm already biased towards the current crop of controllers and it'll take something special for me to embrace this as the norm... then again weirder things have happened

I think these pads would work for certain types of games but I feel for a large proportion of game genres out there it won't. I have used haptic feedback in other products but for things like driving games or shooters or things that require quick reflex type of motion this type of control scheme just doesn't work. I know a lot see Valve as the all might ones of the gaming world but I think this will not work so well.

Also the button layout is just dumb (I am going to say that will change by the final product. It just can't work with games that require two button presses)

I've been wondering about those XYBA buttons. Perhaps those are their default positions and perhaps they won't be called the XYBA buttons on the final product.

Is it possible that they are positioned to the sides is actually a "cheeky" way for Steam to tell everyone they are "putting aside" the traditional 360 controller schemes (since the very reason for the Steam Universe is Windows 8).

People just see trackpads instead of analog sticks and just say "screw that", especially here on N4G.

Valve is pushing the living room and they are putting a lot of resources into it. If you think they are dumb enough to market a controller that people will think is inferior to other consoles, well you don't know Valve.

If you actually read the articles (again something people, or should I say kids on N4G don't do) you would realize that this controller has the potential to be the definition of a "next gen" controller.

But alas it is N4G. People will always take a title, picture, and maybe a few streamline facts they overheard to argue the correctness of their quickly acquired opinion.

Point proven above where Superman argues against haptic feedback with his general knowledge of it. Yet Valves hpatic feedback ins't even close to previous versions. It was specifically built pretty much from the ground up for the purpose it servers.

And while I'm commenting on Superman, "The button layout is dumb"?

You do realize that the 4 buttons in the middle will more than likely be used fro menu navigation and such right? The "trackpads" themselves house the possibility to have the ability to map up to 24 buttons EACH....

That's just your opinion and an unfair comparison at that since you have not properly compared Valve's controller. Analog sticks work but they are not the be-all-end-all for the gaming market. This is why m/kb on shooters is still the prime input for the maximum control fidelity.

You can't come to that conclusion until you've held it in your hand and spent some time with it. I know that goes both ways but I have no reason not to trust Valve at this point. They have delivered over and over again without failure in gamers eyes. One big reason for this is because they are a private company, unlike someone like Microsoft. That llows them to have no political/financial bigger picture to dilute what gamers really want. Simply put, they known what gamers want and they aren't going to waste their time, resources, or image if it's a possibility that they can't deliver.

I really don't get why so many people are against this idea, especially here on N4G. I know it's a scary thought to move away from your main known input to gaming for 15+ years but when something possibly better comes along you don't just shut it down because it sounds like it isn't what you are used to.

Come on man. If you're going to quote me, quote everything. The sentences directly after that explain my reasoning there. Sure your claim is correct but the reason it isn't hypocritical is because I actually have "insurance" behind mine.

Valve has not once disappointed gamers with false claims in the 15 years they have been around. That's my logic and where I draw my conclusion, which is very solid ground to make one on.

On the other hand the argument against Valve's controller is based on the fact that nobody has used anything other than analog sticks, therefore it can't work. That's it....

But I guess you're one of thee N4G people I was referring to that refuses to actually read?

Im intreiged to give it a try, I've never had a gaming pc and have always played on consoles. So in a sense Im the type of person the Steam box is aimed at.

In genral the dual analog control method has been the main way I play games for that long now its hard to imagine a game controller without them (excluding Wii obviously.)

Who knows maybe this type of pad will take off and in 10 years dual analog will seem archaic in comparison... either way with next gen offerings from Sony and MS right around the corner and Steambox in the works its an exiting time to be a gamer.

That's one of the main selling points to these controllers. Access to controller input on games that previously only worked with a mouse/keyboard.

The sensitivity of the the trackpad will allow mouse like precision. The trackpads also have the ability to house up to 24 buttons EACH. So all your standard keys plus hot keys will be available right under where your thumbs will already be.